The Return of the EX-Class Wizard - Chapter 228

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Return of an EX-Rank Mage Episode 228
Affiliated with the Ayla Magic Research Institute.
Owen, a mid-rank mage and the self-proclaimed right hand of the Research Institute Director, took considerable pride in considering himself a rather sensible mage.
Unlike those mad professors.
Yet equally unlike the teaching assistants or novice-level greenhorns.
I’d weathered every conceivable storm and possessed abundant experience!
As a middle manager operating in the field and attracting various sponsors, my social skills were exceptional.
The sensible mid-rank mage Owen spoke.
“What on earth is so exhausting that you keep collapsing like this?”
Owen’s task was singular.
To preserve the resurrection settings of the mock battle at all costs.
In truth, it wasn’t a difficult assignment.
“Mock battle resurrection is the default setting!”
Imposing novel settings or distorting and manipulating them—that’s difficult.
But simply maintaining what already exists?
Even assisting so the system mock battle isn’t destroyed?
Exceedingly simple work.
“Why don’t you try it yourself, Owen sir!”
“Hmph, such menial tasks are only fitting for the likes of you.”
….
“If you’re so aggrieved, why don’t you become the Director’s right hand instead.”
Regardless of reality, Owen was officially recognized as Choi Kang-mok’s right hand.
At least within the Ayla Magic Research Institute, that was the perception.
“Professor Raymond is draining far too much magical power.”
“Silence, you batteries!”
Another teaching assistant collapsed with a thud.
An elite who rivaled others in sheer magical reserves.
“Back in my day, I wouldn’t have collapsed from that much. Tsk.”
Could they preserve the settings with their abilities?
That made no sense.
The teaching assistants and novice mages served a single purpose—living magical batteries.
Establishing the magical field to preserve the settings was Professor Raymond’s responsibility.
“Endure through sheer willpower!”
“Please help us too, Owen sir!”
Very occasionally, the assistants’ strength alone proved insufficient.
Raymond consumed far too much magical power.
What kind of magical field was he establishing that the assistants retired so quickly?
“Sigh, I suppose there’s no helping it.”
The teaching assistants held hands with one another, their magical power connected in parallel.
Through the magical circle concentrated in the center, they transmitted their power remotely to Raymond.
“Watch closely. Behold the power of an Intermediate-rank Mage.”
I grasped the assistants’ hands.
Then I released them.
“Did you see it? The power of an Intermediate-rank Mage?”
“Help us, please!”
With a dull thud, another one collapsed.
“You must have seen it well enough—the power of an Intermediate-rank Mage.”
Owen dusted off his hands.
I could see the assistants’ faces turning pale.
Now I was beginning to understand.
‘That madman Raymond!’
Witnessing something with your eyes and feeling it with your body were worlds apart.
How could anyone drain magical energy so voraciously?
I nearly lost consciousness from it.
‘No. Raymond isn’t the mad one.’
Raymond was certainly unhinged, but he wasn’t one to squander magical energy recklessly.
…Or was he?
‘Sometimes it does seem like he wastes it.’
Like when he unnecessarily imbues a single word with oratory magic and goes on theatrical displays.
Or when he could simply use flight magic, yet insists on transforming into some triple-headed bald eagle to fly instead.
He does pull foolish stunts, but only when there’s some plausible justification behind them.
‘The oratory magic is to show off his disciples, and the transformation is cool, after all.’
But now?
There’s no disciple to boast about, and there’s nothing cool about it.
No one would even notice.
Yet he’s still consuming magical energy like water—
‘Which means the Institute Director’s magic is even more insane.’
It meant Raymond was doing his utmost to prevent the destruction of the resurrection setting.
Unable to find an efficient method, he too was pouring out his magical energy.
Around that moment, Choi Kang-mok showed respect to Wisdian while deploying defensive magic.
‘The Institute Director really is a madman.’
Truth be told, I liked Choi Kang-mok.
I even made an effort to look good in front of him.
But I didn’t think Choi Kang-mok wasn’t a madman.
‘Look at that.’
How could that possibly be defensive magic?
That’s just destructive magic.
Any mage with common sense wouldn’t classify that as defensive magic…
‘Huh?’
Life was beginning to return to the assistants’ faces.
It meant the rate at which magical power was being drained had slowed.
“Foolish wretches. With such feeble willpower!”
He quickly grasped the instructors’ hands as well.
Opening his magical circuits, he channeled his power to them.
‘What?’
I was astonished.
‘The magical consumption really did decrease!’
In other words, Raymond’s burden had lessened.
‘Does this even make sense?’
Let me think about this logically.
A simple damage-conversion club spell is one-dimensional magic.
A black hole spell—formed by materializing energy bolts in empty space and layering them—is quite advanced magic.
‘Of course the black hole spell should be stronger?’
But it didn’t seem that way. The sensation itself was different.
The impact on the opponent. In other words, examining it from a damage perspective, the following formula held true:
[Simple ‘offensive’ club spell >>>>>> Advanced-dimensional ‘defensive’ magic]
From a third party’s perspective, they looked identical anyway.
Whether infinite damage or infinite minus one damage, it all appeared infinite regardless.
But the reality was different.
“It really was defensive magic!!”
The intent to attack was absent.
The damage had genuinely been reduced considerably.
It appeared infinite on the surface!
To ordinary people it would look the same!
But to a mage, it was unmistakably different.
“Insane. So it was real after all.”
He quietly released his grip.
Ugh, it’s been so long since I’ve done this—it’s exhausting.

* * *
Wisdian was furious.
I’ve already drained his stamina completely, yet here they stand, merely exchanging glances when they should be rushing in to fight without hesitation!
[If the next participant does not enter within 10 seconds, it will be considered a forfeit]
[10]
[9]
Time elapsed.
All eyes converged on a single man.
Though Engaro was the official representative of the delegation, this man was the true leader.
His name was Falcon. Nerop’s final trump card, held in reserve for the closing round.
“I’ll go.”
“Sir Falcon. Sir Falcon was meant to be our last resort….”
“No. I’ve grasped how to counter the magical anomaly.”
Falcon, clad in silver plate armor, stepped forward.
Thud! Thud!
Each footfall resonated with tremendous weight.
Where Engaro, the first contestant, had moved with surprising nimbleness for his build, Falcon was nothing short of a tank—massive and imposing.
In his grip was an enormous staff.
An artifact that resembled a club more than anything else.
“First, as a mage, I respect your defensive magic.”
The method for countering a magical anomaly.
One simply had to appear as though engaging in ‘magical exchange.’
Then the creature’s aggression would diminish considerably.
Valuable intelligence gleaned from the sacrifices that came before.
Choi Kang-mok tilted his head.
“A mage?”
-Claiming to be a mage while wielding heavy armor and a club.
-He’s mocking what it means to be a mage.
For a battle mage, agility is equally important.
‘It’s absolutely not because I invested the most in agility. You understand, right?’
-Of course not.
-Agility is naturally invested in for efficient battle magic manifestation.
-But that is crossing the line.
Anyone could see he had dumped everything into defense.
His case was different from Engaro’s.
That one could still be considered a mage who attempted to blend proper combat techniques with magic.
But Falcon?
He was undoubtedly a fraud—someone using magic as a mere auxiliary tool while claiming the title of mage.
The fraud spoke.
“I’m also a mage who specializes in defensive magic, so I can understand your magic better.”
From Choi Kang-mok’s perspective, a sense of crisis washed over him.
My defensive magic is genuine defensive magic.
If he speaks like that, won’t the authenticity of my defensive magic come under suspicion as well?
It’s already frustrating that so many people doubt me.
Choi Kang-mok reached a conclusion.
‘That bastard is a fake.’
A non-mage appearing in a magical exchange tournament?
How dare he?
Choi Kang-mok unleashed a ‘genuine’ Blink.
Falcon, accustomed to half-strength Blink, failed to react to Choi Kang-mok’s movement.
In truth, he was a defensive combat mage, and agility was somewhat lacking.
“Wielding a club, no less.”
Crack!
Magical power converted into physical damage.
The silver armor crumpled grotesquely.
“How dare you impersonate a mage?”
Unbelievable.
There are limits to mocking and insulting someone.
That strike was delivered with genuine intent.
[Mock battle participant ‘Falcon’ has been eliminated.]
[Immediate revival impossible]
[999 days required until revival.]
Raymond coughed violently, spitting blood.
“D-disciple! P-please take it easy!”
The magical formation nearly collapsed entirely.
The resurrection settings were on the verge of destruction.
The mages of Nerop fell silent.
‘Falcon, our strongest asset….’
Of course, the matchup was unfavorable.
Given the out-of-specification damage of the magical anomaly, it was the worst possible matchup.
Yet they had not anticipated such a result.
The combat mages’ faces drained of color.
‘Indeed, a thorough strategist.’
‘Treating Wisdian favorably and sparing him was also….’
‘A strategy to draw out Falcon, the most troublesome opponent.’
For combat mages, it was a remarkably rational and sensible assessment.
‘Falcon let his guard down.’
‘No. The guard was deliberately lowered. By that magical anomaly.’
The consequences of that lapse were utterly devastating.
The magical anomaly had neutralized Nerop’s strongest asset with ease.
‘This isn’t merely an entity with overwhelming damage output.’
Emperor of a new era, they called him.
I thought that was just talk from the Lower Dimension.
‘The situation is grave.’
Who should step forward now?
If we rotate fighters, do we have any chance of victory?
Their expressions grew progressively darker.
“Now, now. Everyone, let’s keep our composure.”
Amid the magical anomaly’s formidable power and tactical brilliance, everyone had forgotten something crucial.
That infinite damage is not truly infinite.
“How much longer can that club withstand such preposterous damage?”
Soon that club will shatter.
Then we have a chance.
“Somehow, we must force it to swing again and again.”
She wore the typical attire of a mage.
Her name was Wordia.
A promising water-element mage.
“The characteristic of this magical anomaly is that it shows leniency toward conventional mages and enjoys engaging in magical exchanges with them.”
In that sense, Wordia was perfectly suited.
“I’ll persuade it skillfully and exhaust its strength.”
With each sacrifice on our side, we accumulate more data.
Wordia possessed considerable confidence.
[I will participate in the mock battle.]
She declared.
“I am primarily a water-element mage. In combat, I focus on attacks utilizing water pressure.”
“….”
Choi Kang-mok became somewhat more lenient at the arrival of such a proper mage.
A battle mage specializing in elemental magic was indeed rare.
-Gulp.
-My mouth is watering.
-I’m getting eager to beat her senseless.
Mayo swallowed (nonexistent) saliva.
“Your defensive magic appears to apply only outside the body.”
Choi Kang-mok’s defensive magic, including the black hole, existed in empty space.
In other words, it was fixed externally.
But what of the interior of the body?
“A mage who can perfectly master defensive magic should be able to apply it equally within the body as well… what are your thoughts on this?”
She gradually drew upon her magical power.
Seventy percent of the human body is water.
She would elevate the water pressure and destroy the body from within.
At Nerop, I am called a specialist in organic destruction.
“Care to try defending yourself? With, magic, perhaps?”
[Activating skill, ‘Water Pressure Amplification’.]

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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